A review by audacityspork
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

funny lighthearted tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Tl;dr

This is a fun and funny book to read, though it’s not at all like the movie. I wouldn’t come to this book for the plot, but more to spend time in the main character’s mind. She’s the most delightful unreliable narrator I’ve come across!

Pros

- Endearing, lovable MC

- Very funny, I laughed aloud sometimes

- Cleverly written

- ADHD representation (though not explicit)

- Luke Brandon is very hot. Why? I don’t know. He’s got the Darcy thing down, brooding and seeming to delight in the MC’s specialness. I was finding myself reading only for the chance to see him show up again! His scenes were my favorite. The way he and the MC interact is delightful, fun, sweet, and tells us a lot about both of them.

Cons

- Slow pace

- Not as many interactions with the love interest as I’d like, if you consider this a romance book

- The plot is so simple and so stressful that it might be viscerally uncomfortable for shopaholics, or those who struggle with addiction. It’s a bit too real.

- The story takes its time. I didn’t mind the slow pacing, because the MC is so delightful that I enjoyed just spending time with her. But the plot doesn’t rush, and the story savors the world it’s built up

- The movie, as a romance, outshines the book.

- Luke Brandon’s romantic relationship with a model is really underdeveloped. I don’t know why it exists, honestly.

- This book is sexually tame in a way that reminds me of the “Twilight” saga. The sex scene is not really a scene, and the MC basically tells readers, “We had sex, but that’s none of your business! You already know enough about me.”